Portable shower bath assembly



March 12, 1963 H. L. BURNETT 3,080,568

PORTABLE SHWER BATH AssEMBLY Filed Aug. 3, 1982. s sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR. HARVEY L. BulzNeT-r TTORN EYS March 12, 1963 H. L. BURNETT 3,080563 PORTABLE sHowER BATH ASSEMBLY 'Filed Aug. 3. 1962 s sneets-sheet 2 /I Y//Al fm rfl 1 INVENTOR. L0 HArzvEY L- BurzNE-r-r 'TTOFZNEYS March 12, 1963 H. L. BuRNl-:TT 3080568 PoRTABLE sHowER BATH AssEMBLY Filed Aug. 5, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. HAQVEY L. BUQNETT ATTQRNEVS United States Patent O 1 3,080,568 PORTABLE SHOWER BATH ASSEMBLY Harvey L. Burnett, 201 N. Pine St., De Ridder, La. Filed Aug. 3, 1962, Ser. No. 214,735 1 Claim. (Cl. 4-145) This invention relates to Shower bath facilities, and more `particularly to a portable shower apparatus.

A main object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive means for bathing where running water is not re'adily available.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel 'andl improved shower enclosure which is portable and uncomplicated, being easy to set lup, being simple to operate, and affording a maximum amount of privacy to the user. f

A still further object of the invention is to provide lan improved shower enclosure which is constructed of rela'tively inexpensive materials, being durable, being easy toi'fabric'ate, and being independent of a water source.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claim, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view with a portion broken away of a shower bath assembly constructed according to the present invention, showing the Shower enclosure and the accompanying water tank, as the apparatus is set up for use;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged Vertical cross-sectional View of the water tank employed in FIGURE 1, taken substantially on the line 2-2 of FIGURE l;

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through the filling conduit 13. The guide stick 18 moves upwardly through the guide tube '19, until the colored portion 21 comes into view, thus indicating that the necessary amount of water has been added to the tank. The guide stick 18 and ball 17 may then be enclosed in the tank by pushing the stick 18 downwardly so that its top end is below the level of the top end of tube 19, after which the winged cover 20 is screwed on the eX- ternally threaded top portion of tube 19.

Tank 11 is also provided with an air valve '2.2 and an air pressure gauge 23, which is equipped with a Safety valve. The 'air valve 22 is a one-Way check valve, permitting air to'be pumped into the tank but preventing any outward flow. The pressure gauge 23 is calibrated in pounds per square inch, and the safety valve built therein is set to release air when the pressure exceeds a predetermined safe amount.

The tank 11 is also provided with two diametricall'y opposed carrying handles 24, 24.

vReferring to FIGURES 1 and 3-7, Shower enclosure 12 comprises a floor assembly 24, a shower curtain 25, four Vertical supporting poles 26, four horizontal supporting poles 27, and a Shower head 35.

The floor assembly 24 comprises a plurality of floor boards or slats 28 hinged together by links 29 in such a manner that the floor 24 may be folded or rolled up into a compact unit. On each link 29 is provided an FIGURE 3 is'a Vertical cross-sectional'view of a shower I FGURE 5 is an enlarged partial horizontal crossi" vsection'al view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a Vertical cross-sectional View taken substantially on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 5; and

FIGURE 7 is an exploded view of the Shower enclosure showing the manner of assernbly of the enclosure from its various component members.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGURES 1 and 2, it will be seen that the invention generally comprises a water tank 11 and a Shower enclosure 12. The water tank 11 is a closed container constructed in such a manner that it rnay withstand relatively high internal pressures. The water tank 11 is provided at its top wall with an externa'ily threaded filling conduit 13 and an airtight cover 14 for said filling conduit l13. Also provided on tank 1-1 is a Water outlet valve fitting 15 from which extends a piece of tubing 16 downwardly into the tank 11, terminating closely adjacent to the bottom of the tank. Also provided on tank 11 is a water level indicator comprising a float ball 17, a guide stick 18, a guide tube =19 secured vertically to and depending from the top wall of the tank, and an airtight winged top cover cap 20 therefor. The guide tube 19 projects a short distance above the top wall of the tank 11 and is provided with external threads, and the cover cap 2h is provided with internal threads threadedly engageable with the external threads of the top portion of tube 19.

The ball 17 is constructed of buoyant material or may be hollow, serving as a fioat, so that it tends to seek the surface of the water in the tank. A portion 21 of the guide stick 18 near the ball -17 is distinctively colored.

When the winged cover 20 is removed, the ball 17' moves with the level of the water as the tank is filled outwardly projecting male snap fastener member 30, and similar male snap fastener members 30' are provided on the outer edges of the two end slats or boards 32,

32 of the floor assembly 24, so that the floor assemblyv 24- is completely provided around its periphery with male snap fastener members 3G, 30" uniformly spaced around said periphery.

Secured to the end portions of the end slats or boards 32, 32 are respective upstanding sleeve-like sockets or receptacles 33 for supporting poles, 'being thus located at Corners of the floor assembly 24.

Shower curtain 25 is constructed of a durable waterproof material such as canvas, sheet plastic material, or the like, being of snfiicient height to reach the horizontal supporting poles 27, and being of suicient length to extend around the perimeter of the enclosure. The curtan 25 is provided with female snap fastener elements 139, 139' located to engage with the floor snap fastener members 39, 38". Curtain 25 is also provided with rings 34' which are adapted to encircle the horizontal supporting poles 27. lA slide fastener 34' is provided on the Vertical edges at the respective ends of the curtain 25 so that it may be employed to detachably secure said vertical edges together and thus to at times completely enclose the shower frame.

The Vertical supporting poles 26 fit into the sockets or receptacles 33 on the floor assembly 24. They extend upwardly and are joined at their top portions by the horizontal supporting poles 27. The structure of the connections between the Vertical and the horizontal poles is shown in detail in FIGURES 5 and 6, and is such that it may be readily assembled and disassembled. Each Vertical pole 26 is provided near its top end with two L-shaped rods 36 which are mounted at right angles to each other and which extend upwardly. The L-shaped rods 36 are engageable with aligned holes 37 provided near the ends of the horizontal poles 27. l

The Shower head 35 is connected to the water tank 11 'by means of a flexible connecting hose 38, which is connected by screw couplings to the shower head 35 at one end and the outlet valve fitting 15 of the tank 11 at the other end.

Shower head 35 is provided with a 'valve 39 which may be used to regulate the fiow of water through the ananasa shower head. The head is mounted on one of the horizontal supporting poles 27 by means of a clamping bracket 40.

` In using the invention, the water tank 11'- is `first filled by unscrewing the winged cover 20 and fillingv conduit cover 14, and by pouring water. into the vfilling conduit 13 until the color'ed portion21 of the level-indicating stick 18' is visible outside the guide tube 19. The two covers 20 and .14 are then replaced, the guide stick being depresseii as above descrihed, whereby the tank is sealed with the level-indicating stick 18 and float 17 in a depressed position. Air is then pumped intothe tank through air inlet valve 22 by means of.a conventional tire pump. The air is compressed' until thepressure vgat'ige 23V reads the necessary amount required 'tovforce the water-through the sprinklerlhead. The pump is then det'ched, and the tank is ready for use. I

The Shower enclosure 12 is assembled. The floor 24 'is' nroll'ed aridlaid out and the vertical'poles '26 are inserted into the floor sockets or receptacles 33. The curtain 25 is unfolded, and the horizontal poles 27, each in turn, are firis't inserted through the rings 34 of the curtain 25, and are then mounted on the L-shaped rods 36' of 'the vertical pol'es' 2'6. The'bottom. of the curtain 2,5 is then fastened to the floor 24 by means o fthe snap fasten'er members 30, 30'V and 130, 130'. The slide fastener assembl 34' is tliereafter used for opening; and closing the shower enclosure, namely, for entering .and leaving same.

Th'e' slide faste'ner is' preferably of 'a conventional type which' maybe ope'rated either from the' insidel or vthe outside' of the enclo'sure, natnely,` which may be provided with'operating tabs connected to the slider element thereof an'd extendin'g respectively inside and outside of the enclosure. i

The Shower' head V35 is mountedon a horiz'ontal sup; p'orting pole-27' by fens of the clamping bracket 40. "I'he connecting-hose 38 is connected .to.therhshowerlhead 35 and to the' tank outlet valve fitti'n'g` 15... The Shower is then ready for use. 'Ihe outlet valve 15 is opened, and the user may then regulate the fiow of water from the 4-. Shower' head as desired by manipulating the shower head valve 39. v

While a specific embodiment of a portable shower apparatus has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood thattvarious modifications within the spirit of the invention' may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore it isl i-ntended' that no limitat'ions be placed on the invention' except as definedhy the scope of the appended ela'im'.

What is claimed is: I

A portable shower bath assernbly'cornprising/ a foldablev floor comprising a .plurality of parallel -slats .and respective link` bars hingedly connectingi the ends of a'djacent lats to each other, 'a generally rectangular up'- stan'ding collapsiblev frame comprising 'vertii'c'al corner posts and .lior'izontal connecting bars detachably cfonnected to the' top ends of said Vertical corner posts, respective upstanding sockets` on. the end portions of the opposite end slats of Said floor receiving. the lower endsof said Vertical corner posts, a flexiblecover surrcvi'undingA said frame, means. detachably connectingV the .top marg'iri of said cover to said horlzontalv connecting bar's,.means` detachably' connecting thebbttom' marginof' said cover tothe floor slats',` whereby to define a'shower s'tall, a shower bath. sprinkler head secured to oneof said horizont'al connecting bars and directed downwardly and inwardly' into said Shower stali, a water tank, means to vadr'nit water into saidl tank, conduit means connecting the lowerportion of said water tank to said" sprinkler head, means to vseal said water tank, and an` air inlet check' valve on the top of said tank', whereby air may 'be purnped into the upper portion of the fank to' develop a pressure suflicent to force the water in the tank .through Said condit means for dischar'ge atsaid sprinkler head-. v References lCited in the fil'e of= this patentV trru'ri'l')v STATES PATENTs 

